Issued: Jan. 31, 2020

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) reports that faculty, physicians, providers, pharmacies, researchers and other members of the public have been targeted by criminals posing as DEA agents.

Please be aware that this scam has been attempted within our organization. In some instances, the caller may claim to be an employee with the Texas Medical Board (TMB) and/or the DEA. These callers will often “spoof,” or display fake phone numbers so the call appears to be coming from a certain agency on the recipient’s caller ID. These scammers may also use official-looking letterhead, or during phone conversations, use official titles claiming to be an employee of TMB or DEA. Please be aware that the Texas Medical Board nor the DEA would contact a DEA registrant*and threaten to suspend a registrant’s DEA registration or demand money.

If you are contacted by a person purporting to work for DEA demanding a payment, seeking money or threatening to suspend a registrant’s DEA registration, submit the information on the DEA Diversion Control website www.DEAdiversion.us.doj.gov and select the link “Extortion Scam Online Reporting.”

For more information, contact your local DEA Field Office, which may be found at https://apps.DEAdiversion.us.doj.gov/contactDEA/spring/fullSearch.

You may also contact the Registration Service Center at 1-800-882-9539. To read more about this scam: https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm http://www.TMB.state.TX.US/page/dea-scam-alert.

*A DEA registrant number (DEA Registration Number) is an identifier assigned to a health care provider (such as a physician, physician assistant, optometrist, dentist, or veterinarian) by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration allowing them to write prescriptions for controlled substances.